Minister Planning Ahsan Iqbal sees progress in CPEC phase-II, ML-1 projects

ISLAMABAD   –   Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior leader Ahsan Iqbal has expressed hope that there will be progress on CPEC Phase-II and ML-1 projects during the upcoming visit of the Chinese President to Pakistan.

He was talking to the media here on Thursday. The minister said that a Saudi delegation is also coming to Pakistan and hoped that different MoUs will be signed with the foreign team. He said the friendly countries have announced to invest 27 billion dollars in Pakistan to which he termed the first success of the SIFC.

The minister termed the pension and debt servicing as the biggest problems the country’s economy is facing at the moment. He told the media that the civil-military leadership is on the same page when it comes to the SIFC adding that the forum has been a source of confidence for the investors. He said that the foreign remittances have increased up to 44 percent during the last two months. Coming to the current political situation in the country, Ahsan Iqbal said a campaign was being run on social media against the Army. He said that the PML-N never pursued the politics of revenge and added that his party was rather subjected to political victimization. He said it was not the time for agitation as he urged the opposition parties to play a constructive role. He further said that everyone accepted the results of the Feb 8 elections. He said that Army has become apolitical and that was why Imran Khan was criticizing the state institutions. The minister said that Pakistan wants good relations with its neighbours. He said that India has been illegally occupying Kashmir. However, he advocated for trade with India.